Brick-kiln.



C. SMITH.

BRICK KlLN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18. 1915.

1,159,539. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

1 pairs s arnar amen oLAuDr. SMITH, or enforce, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR- 'ro crlnunn sivirrn '00., A COPART- NERSHIP COMPOSED OF CLAUDE SMITH ILLINOIS.

AND J. O. TRAUTWEIN, BOTH OF CHICAGO,

BRICK-KILN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed February 18, 1915. ,Serial No; 8,985.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE SMITH, a cit izen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Brick-Kilns, of which the following is a specification.

.It is well known to those familiar with the construction and use of brick kilns that the changes in temperature to which the walls are subjected are very great, the heat being very high during the process of burning and being reduced to atmospheric temperature when the kiln is being emptied and refilled. The consequence is that in the ordinary kiln of the round or beehive type the bricks soon become loose due to expansion and contraction, and the walls soon permit leakage of air from the atmosphere to the inside of the kiln during the operation of burning, as a result of which a considerable amount offuel is wasted and the quality of the product suffers, especially near the interstices through which the air enters. To overcome this it has been the custom to make the walls very thick and at times to employ a set of bands around the kiln. These expedients, however, are not effective and have manifest disadvantages.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide means whereby the thickness of the walls may be greatly reduced and the leakage of air into the kiln and consequent waste of fuel prevented.

Another principal object of my invention is to provide fire boxes which are practically independent of the kiln wall and which are largely external thereto. This makes it possible to repair them without disturbing the kiln, and also reduces the efiect of the heat to which they would otherwise be subjected.

Other objects and special characteristics of my invention will hereinafter more fully appear.

I accomplish my objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, showing a kiln embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 38, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan section taken horizontally through one of the fire boxes.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In my kiln the external wall 1 is made of brick or similar refractory material and is very thin in comparison with the walls of ordinary kilns. Said wall is circumferentially inclosed by a metallic shell 2 which is preferably of steel and imperforate except at the openings provided for the fire boxes 3 and doors 4-. The shell extends from top to bottom of the walls, above the surface of the ground, and also extends an appreciable distance below the surface of the ground as best shown at the lower left side of Fig. 1. Between the shell and the external surface of the wall is a filling 5 of loose sand or similar material. This acts as an insulator and also assists in rendering the structure air-tight. As it is loose it also afiords opportunity for some adjustment and take up between the wall and the shell.

An opening is made in the shell for each of the fire boxes and these are preferably rectangular as indicated in Fig. 3. It is desirable to reinforce the shell at these points by bars such as the angle irons 6, 6 riveted or otherwise secured along the margins of the opening. A tie plate 7 is riveted or otherwise fastened to the shell to bridge each fire box and door opening below the ground line 8, said tie plate preventing the shell from spreading at these points.

The fire boxes are built out from the shell as clearly shown in the drawings. They are preferably made of steel shells inclosed in brick work, and as they are largely outside of the shell they are easily repaired and readily accessible for firing.

It will be unnecessary for the purpose of this patent to describe the fines or the internal structure of the shell, my invention relating more particularly to the construction of the exterior walls and the fire boxes.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the walls of my structure are thin and light and require but a small amount of material and yet are of great strength and totally exclude air from the interior of the kiln. By running the shell below the ground line, at least two purposes are served. In the first place, the entire structure is rendered more rigid and stable and leakage at the ground line is avoided. In the second place it affords means for attachment of the tie plates-7 beneath the fire box and door openings. This avoids the danger there would otherwise be of having the shell spread or bulge outwardly near the ground. Vhen tie plates are present the opening for the fire boxes and doors are completely surrounded by metal, said openings being in the nature of apertures in the shell instead distance from the inner surface of the wall.

The result is that an internal grinding actlon is set up especially toward the inner surface which not only loosens the bricks.

of which the wall is composed but tends to actually disintegrate them. In my construction, as the wall is thin and radiation is more uniform, there is less difference in expansion between the internal and external surfaces of the wall and the working or relative movement of the units of which the wall is composed is reducedto a minimum, if' not altogether eliminated, and the brick work' remains intact for an indefinite period.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1". A brick kiln having av thin circular wall composed of brick completely incased in a metallicshell, said shell running downward below the ground line, fire boxes partially outside of the shell, andmeans beneath the fire boxes for tyingthe parts of the shell together at the firebox openings.

2. A round brick kiln having a wall com- Copies of this patent may be obtainewfor posed of a thin layer of refractory material, a metallic shell circumferentially inclosing said wall, said wall having openings therein for the fire boxes, and fire boxes built partially within the refractory wall and extending outward therefrom a considerable distance through the openings in said shell, said shell extending down beneath the ground line and having connecting elements passing beneath the fire boxes. 3. A round or beehive brick kiln having a wall composed of a thin layer of'refractory material, a metallic shell completely incasing saidwall, said casing extending below the'ground line and having openings therein for the fire boxes, said openings being completely surrounded by metal, and fire boxes built partially within the refractory wall and extendin'g outward therefrom through the fire box openings in the shell.

4. A round or beehive brick kilnhaving a wall composed of a thin layer of refractory material, a metallic sliell completely. incasing said wall eircumferentially and from top to bottom, said casing extending below the ground line .and having openings therein for the fire boxes, said openings being completely surrounded by metal, and fire boxes built partially within the refractory wall and extending outward therefrom through the fire box openings in the shell,

said'fire boxes consisting of metallic shells lined with refractory material.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CLAUDE SMITH.

WVitnesses:

M. S; Rosnivzwnlo; SELINA E. HIGGINS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o'fiatnts, Washington; DVG. 

